Here He Comes To Save the Day!
by Elmo930
Summary: Mindy comes to a startling revelation about Danny, quite accidentally, after being forced to spend time with her goddaughter, Riley and can't wait to share it with Danny!


**A/N: This is my first fanfiction piece. I had a wave of inspiration and wrote it in an hour. Please let me know how you like it! **

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_Uggh. when was Gwen coming back for this child. _Riley could be so annoying especially when she kept talking in that ridiculous baby voice. _Why oh why do I get myself into these situations._ Mindy thought again about how her best friend tricked her into watching Riley.

"Hey Mindy, have I got plans for us this Sunday!" Gwen called her on Wednesday at work.

"We haven't hung out for ages!" It seemed like they just couldn't sync their schedules. If Riley wasn't puking or needing help with her homework - come on , how hard could kindergarten homework be for goodness sake! - then Carl always wanted her to attend business dinners with him. Mindy started to look forward to spending some quality girl time with her best friend. "What do you have in mind?"

"I'll stop by your apartment at 11am and surprise you." Gwen was being very mysterious all of a sudden but it peaked Mindy's curiosity.

"Alright see you then. How should I dress?"

"Keep it casual, you're gonna want to be comfy. See you then!" and with that, Gwen hung up without giving Mindy a chance to grill her for more details.

Mindy couldn't imagine what Gwen had in mind but decided to just go with it. On Sunday at about 10am, she put on her black yoga pants and an off the shoulder white t-shirt, white ankle socks and her go-to pink sneakers. She thought about the time Danny wore those same sneakers at the triathlon, running about 2 miles an hour. She couldn't help but laugh. Before she knew it, tears were streaming down her face as she remembered how ridiculous he looked when Morgan carried him to the finish line. Boy oh boy, Danny could always make her laugh… After about 5 minutes of laughter, she dried her eyes, fixed her face and pulled her hair into a ponytail awaiting Gwen's arrival.

At 11am she heard the knock on her door. She flung the door with a big grin which immediately changed to a menacing frown. Gwen was standing there with a sheepish look on her face holding her daughter's hand.

"Gwen - you brought Riley?! How are we supposed to hang out with her tagging along?" Mindy was irate! She was so looking forward to their time together.

"Honey, I never said we were going to hang out. I said that I had plans for us and that you should dress comfy." She pushed her way past Mindy pulling Riley along and plopped onto the couch. "Mindy Lahiri, you know as well as I do that you do not spend near enough time with your goddaughter Riley - just look at her - she was so excited when she knew she was coming to spend time with you." Mindy looked at Riley and felt a wave of guilt wash over her.

"You're right Gwen. I'm being a horrible godmother." Grabbing Riley in her arms and giving her a big hug Mindy continued "I really don't get to spend time with Riley. I barely get time to spend with you anymore and...wait.. what? What do you mean Riley was coming to spend time with me?"

Gwen smiled a slow, somewhat evil smile. "Well Mindy, Carl is waiting for me in the car downstairs. He's been dragging me from one business dinner to another and promised to take me to the city today - just the two of us!" Mindy lunged towards Gwen, letting go of Riley so abruptly, the child to almost fell to the ground. _Hmm Riley's surprisingly resilient. Just like my old toy - weebles wobble but they don't fall down! _Mindy quickly registered as she saw Riley teetering around before standing up straight - smiling proudly at her accomplishment.

"Gwen, are you telling me that you're leaving Riley here with me ALONE while you go have a day on the town with Carl?" Mindy felt like wrapping her hands around Gwen's swan like throat and squeezing hard. Gwen, knowing Mindy since college days, knew she'd better get out of there quickly. Giving Riley a quick kiss on the forehead she practically ran out of Mindy's apartment as Mindy stared after her in horror.

"You'll be fine sweetie, you love your goddaughter and you love me so have a great time - see you in a few hours" Gwen said as she rushed out of the door.

Mindy played tea party, hide and go seek, ring around the rosey. Two hours later Mindy was out of options and started playing hangman with Riley. The kid was in kindergarten for goodness sake! Why couldn't she spell anything worthwhile? _Hmmm What would Riley look like hanging from a noose._ A sinister smile crept onto Mindy's lips as she stared at Riley.

"Why are u wooking at me like that? I wuv woo" Riley smiled at Mindy.

"Listen kid, for the last time CUT. THAT. OUT! Ugggh I can't stand this anymore!" Mindy got up from the ground, found her remote and turned the TV on to a cartoon channel showing cartoons from the 60s and 70s'. She pulled Riley over to the couch and sat her down in front of the TV." Here you go kid, knock yourself out with this quality programming." Riley's eyes were instantly transfixed to the TV. Thank God for cable TV!

Mindy wandered over to the window to look at everyone enjoying themselves._ It's a beautiful day outside and I'm stuck here with Riley. WHERE IS GWEN? _Mindy had given up texting her after the first hour. Gwen had obviously turned her phone off, knowing her best friend all too well. Mindy could see people in shorts as she looked out of her window. She wasn't one to wear shorts in public, the yoga pants were great for wicking sweat and gave her that comfortably sexy look. _I look fantastic and who's here to enjoy this eyeful…Riley._

Mindy let out a sigh. _I AM a horrible godmother. Gwen is gonna be mad at me for letting Riley watch TV_. "That's not babysitting Mindy!" She'd heard Gwen take her to task for this before. _ Oh well Gwen, that's what you get for dumping your child on me like that! Besides, _Mindy rationalized, _the old cartoons were so pure, so funny. Riley can learn a lot from them. _Mindy smiled remembering the times she watched them as a child. She looked over at Riley. _It was the quietest Riley had been all afternoon. Wait...It's almost 2pm and I didn't give Riley her lunch! I AM A HORRIBLE GODMOTHER!_ _Odd but Riley hadn't asked for food. Not even anything to drink. Wow, the power of TV. _Mindy went to the kitchen._ Why am I even looking? Gwen should know I don't keep food in the house for myself far less something Riley could eat. Hmph_. Mindy eventually found some not too stale popcorn, poured it in a bowl and put it in front of Riley. That would have to do. Riley absent mindedly ate the popcorn, her gaze transfixed on the TV.

It was 3:30pm when Mindy heard the knock on her door. Mindy bolted for it , swinging the door wide open. Gwen obviously enjoyed her day judging by the ridiculously big grin she was sporting.

"Mindy dear, how did it g.." She stopped mid sentence when she saw Riley, eyes glazed over, staring at the TV screen. "MINDY! HOW COULD YOU?! Is It TOO much to ask that you spend time with my daughter, YOUR GODDAUGHTER, and not stick her in front of that thing? Your always talking about wanting kids – would you do that to your children?" Gwen was yelling at the top of her lungs.

_Gwen's yelling at ME? Hold on a doggone minute_…"How COULD I? Really Gwen? How could I? First of all, you didn't ASK me to spend time with your daughter, you DUMPED her on me! No preparation, no warning. " Mindy started getting defensive –she did want kids but had to admit to herself she didn't know what kind of mother she would be if a few hours of Riley drove her batty. But this was not the time to dwell on that. "Second of all, you turn your phone off, you don't tell me how long you're going to be gone – this place isn't exactly kid friendly you know! What did you expect me to do with her for four and a half hours?"

They glared at each other for a full minute before both of them burst into laughter, apologizing to each other and hugging. Riley was still glued to the TV, oblivious to what was going on around her.

'I promise never to "dump" Riley on you again although I don't know how you could call it dumping when she's your goddaughter."

"Gwen, you should've just stopped that sentence after at promising not to dump Riley on me again…let's not fight again." Mindy could feel her irritation returning and was getting ready for another fight.

"OK, OK. I promise never to "dump" Riley on you again. Better?"

"Much!" A grin returned to Mindy's face. "Now as much as I love you, please take your child and go! I'm going to try to salvage what's rest of this lovely day." Mindy sarcastically states as she, a little too forcefully, pulls Riley from the TV and pushes both of them to the door.

"Wow, Mindy, can you at least open the door before you shove us through it?"

Mindy, swung the door open and pushed them through. "Good bye !" Mindy sing-songed.

Exhausted, Mindy sat on the couch. Just then the next cartoon started and a familiar theme began to play: "Here I come to save the day!" _Wow, I haven't seen this cartoon in years._! Mighty Mouse was one of Mindy's favorites. There was just something about the way Mighty Mouse would always show up at just the right moment to save Pearl Pureheart. Mindy started to get engrossed in the cartoon. _Mighty Mouse sure had a weird body….hmm weird body. _Her thoughts immediately went to Danny. Mindy starts daydreaming of Danny in the mighty mouse outfit…his weird body looking kinda hot in the body hugging super hero outfit. Mindy turned into Pearl Pureheart and there was Danny swooping in to save Mindy.

Reality melded with fiction as Mindy began to recall the countless times Danny had saved the day for her: that disastrous first Christmas party _– Danny was in the room when the message from Heather played and from that point on did everything he could to save her from doing something really foolish and the Christmas party. He even pretended to be a gay florist!_ Mindy smirked. _He didn't' go on his date but stayed to 'comfort' me, defending me when Heather called me chubby._ Mindy's smirk turned into a small grin. Then she remembered all the times he was ready to beat any guy up who treated her badly. Mindy's smile began to widen. _Santa Fe…ahhh Santa Fe…driving me to see Josh, Josh thinking we had a thing, the plane ride hand grabbing incident_...as each time Danny said or did something for Mindy flashed before her mind's eye, she began seeing, for the first time, the very many times Danny had come to save the day for her. The last time was at the Christmas party a few days ago. _He learned the moves to one of my favorite songs and DANCED FOR ME as my gift"_ Just then, the realization set in…._Danny Castellano is my Mighty MOUSE! HE LOVES ME!_

An hour had passed and Mindy was still sitting on the couch with that ridiculous grin on her face. She felt like she was going to explode. Who could she tell? _I can't call Gwen. I'm still semi mad at her and she's probably not even home yet._ _Danny….maybe I should call him and ask him to come over. What would I say?_ As she began to think about the different ways to get him to come over her phone beeped. A text message had come through. _Must be Gwen texting to apologize._

She picked up her phone. The text was from Danny! Mighty Mouse! She hugged the phone to her chest wishing he was in her apartment so that she could hug him in person. After a few seconds, she looked read the text.

"Hey Min, what are you up to?"

_"Min," Danny's pet name for me_. It wasn't possible for her grin to get any wider. _Hmm what do I say, I don't want to seem desperate too soon._

"I'm watching Mighty Mouse."

"Is that some romcom with Ryan Goose-eggs and Rachel McMuffin?"

Mindy couldn't help but giggle. _Wow that would've set me off before; now it was just so cute!_ She decided not to lecture on the virtues of Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams.

"The cartoon, Mighty Mouse."

After a few seconds, Danny responded. "Who is this? What have you done with Mindy? If you've done anything to her, I swear—"

Mindy laughed out loud. _Oh my dear sweet, sweet, Mighty Mouse_. The theme song started up in her brain. "Here I come to save the day!" Oh how blind she had been all these months. Her very own superhero was there all the time. She was so lost in her reverie, she didn't realize 10 minutes had passed and she still hadn't responded to Danny's last text. She started to type "It's me, silly…" when there was a pounding on her door. She nearly jumped out of her skin. _What the—_

"Mindy! Are you in there? Whoever's in there, open up or I'm gonna break this door open!

Mindy was practically beside herself with joy. Mighty Mouse is here to save the day! She had wished he was there so she could hug him and tell him how she felt and now he was here!

With her brightest smile, she raced to the door, eagerly anticipating seeing her handsome superhero ready to save her, instead she saw a sweat-soaked Danny, out of breath and wheezing. _Hmm, not quite the picture I'd conjured up in my mind._

Danny came just inside the doorway and leaned against the door for support, sweat dripping off of him trying to catch his breath while Mindy closed the door.

"Danny why are you so sweaty? Danny…what did you do? Did you seriously just run all the way over here from your apartment?" Mindy was about a foot away from him, staring at him intently.

Danny was unable to speak. He was having trouble breathing. Relief flooded over him when he saw she was OK. More than OK in fact she was looking rather cute in her ponytail t-shirt and yoga pants. " Why…why…" He cleared his throat and tried again "Water" was all he managed to get out.

Mindy ran to the kitchen to get a glass of water and handed it to him quickly. Danny drank it as if he'd been in the desert for a year. Mindy smiled. _Honestly, all the sweat dripping of the guy was enough to save a small village._

"Why are you smiling? You nearly gave me a heart attack! You, Mindy Lahiri, are watching cartoons?! He looked over her shoulder to see a cartoon playing on the TV. "I didn't believe it. Then when you didn't respond and I realized all of your other responses were uncharacteristically…um…brief, I thought someone broke in tied you up and was holding you hostage!"

Mindy's smile broadened. His theme song "Here he comes to save the day!" was playing in her head. She walked over to her coat closet behind the door, took out her cute yellow rain slicker and put it on. Danny's staring at her, looking around the apartment, not sure if she's really OK or if she's being held under duress. It's still warm outside and it's not raining. What is she doing?

Mindy, with the broad grin plastered on her face, her rain slicker on, hood and all, walks back over to where Danny is still standing and pulls him into a big hug. "You're my Mighty Mouse!" she declared.

"What? Mindy, are you drugged? Are you losing your mind?" He tries to get out of her vice-like grip so he can look at her but it's futile. She hugs him like this for 5 minutes repeating over and over "You're my Mighty Mouse!"

Finally she pulls back from him a little so that she can look at his handsome face, that big grin still fixed on her face and rain slicker wet with his sweat. His face is filled with confusion. Why is she smiling like that? He starts to sweat more.

"Danny Castellano. You are my mighty mouse. I just realized it this afternoon and we have Gwen and Riley to thank for it!"

Now Danny was thoroughly confused and feeling like Mindy was finally losing her grip on reality.

"Oh Danny, you still don't understand? Listen. Gwen tricked me into babysitting for Riley this afternoon. I ran out of things to do with that little…um…my godchild, and so I sat her in front of the TV to watch the cartoon channel. You know the one where they show cartoons from the 60s and 70s?..."

Mindy's explanation was taking far too long for Danny and he was now sweating again because of Mindy's proximity. She was still somewhat hugging him with that ridiculous rain slicker on. But he knew better than to interrupt Mindy in the middle of a story. Plus he just realized - Mindy was hugging him! Now what was she babbling on about…

'''…theme song "Here I come to save the day!" and it reminded me of you Danny boy! All of a sudden, I began to see all of the times you came to my rescue. It was as if I was looking at a movie!" She was positively beaming at him now! "You have always been there for me, comforting me, saving me, YOU LOVE ME…and if I had any doubt about that before, you being here now, running all the way from your apartment because you thought that what, a bunch of 5 year olds broke into my apartment, tied me up so they could watch cartoons and text on my phone? Danny , you are my Mighty Mouse and I'm sorry it took me so long to see that. I love YOU, Danny! Not like I thought I loved Tom or Josh or Casey or even Cliff. You're the one I think about when I'm going through a rough time. You're the one that always tells me I deserve better than those loser guys. You're the one that wants to beat up any guy who treats me badly. You're the one I never want to lose! You're my Mighty Mouse and I LOVE YOU with all my heart!"

Danny just stared at her. It took about 30 seconds for her words to make their impact before he pulled her closer and kissed her with all the love and passion he had bottled up for so long. Mindy had no problem responding with a passion that matched his.

When they finally came up for air. Danny asked "Seriously Mindy, you had to put on a raincoat to hug me?" A soft smile played on his lips.

"Listen here Mighty Mouse! I am looking super cute in my outfit and I was not about to get sweat all over it. Look at this raincoat Danny! It looks as if I just barely survived a hurricane! " Her big grin returning.

Danny couldn't help but smile and kiss her again. "I am your Mighty Mouse. I will always be here to save you whether you want me to or not. This time is was Mindy's turn to initiate a kiss.

"I just have one request" Danny said when they paused to catch a breath.

"Name it"

"I know you probably think it's very romantic but - could you not call me Mighty Mouse in public? It's not as sexy sounding as you might think."

Mindy considered this for a minute. A twinkle in her eye as her grin returned. "Ok. Deal. But believe me babe, I'm gonna keep calling you that in private!" she sing-songed.

Now it was Danny's turn to have a ridiculous grin.

Within 6 months they were married. And on there honeymoon when they were in the throes of passion, true to the cartoon whenever Mighty mouse achieved the most impossible feat, Mindy yelled "What a mouse, WHAT A MOUSE!"


End file.
